Hulu’s first live Oscars stream cuts out in latest high-profile mishap for streaming platforms

NEW YORK (AP) - Sunday night marked Hulu’s first time airing the Oscars live. But its academy awards debut ended on a chaotic and frustratingly premature note.

Hulu’s livestream cut off in the final moments of the show - with two major award categories, best actress and best picture, still to be announced. Those viewing the awards ceremony on Hulu instead saw an error code message that stated the event was over.

Viewer outrage online, predictably, ensued. Fans, including those throwing Oscar-viewing parties, eagerly await the final, pivotal moments of the show.

Hulu viewers missed Mikey Madison and "Anora" win the night’s titles for both best actress and best picture in real time.

The Hulu stream also had a rough start, with a few users reporting issues logging on to the platform. For some, that meant missing the show's musical intro performed by "Wicked" stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

Disney, which has run Hulu since 2019, apologized to viewers.

"This evening, we experienced technical and live stream issues on Hulu which impacted some Oscars viewers," the company said. "We apologize for the experience and will make a full replay of the event available as soon as possible."

That replay, which included the final moments of the show, appeared to be available on Hulu by late Monday morning.

Hulu’s foray into the Oscars arrives as more streaming platforms are betting big on live programming of prominent events - from awards shows and pop culture moments, to the Super Bowl.

Hulu’s stumble was not the first among the major streaming platforms.

Netflix users, for example, expressed frustrations with streaming and buffering problems before and during November’s widely-watched, livestream matchup between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. And in 2023, the platform’s "Love Is Blind" fans also saw a lengthy delay ahead of a reunion special set to air live.

The Oscars have aired on ABC for decades. While Sunday marked the first time cord cutters could watch through standard Hulu plans, subscribers of the more expensive Hulu Live TV have been able to tune into the awards show in years past. The show has also continued to be available on other services offering live streaming of ABC, such as YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and FuboTV.